Clearing Pyracanta roots and general weeds

Einhard

Hey,

I'm just after spending two days battle a phalanx of extremely hostile, horribly thorny, and ridiculously overgrown Pyracanta hedges, a struggle which I just about won, albeit with many scratches and copious blood loss. While the hedges are down, their roots are still in place, and I'm wondering what would be the best way to go about getting rid of them? The hedges were fairly mature and I imagine the root network would be pretty extensive, so I'm not sure if physically uprooting them would be practical. I don't want to destroy my garden in my efforts to improve it! Are there any means to kill the roots whilst leaving them intact?

Also, the hedges stood in front of a boundary wall, and I want to create a gravel border in their place. Apart from the Pyracanta though, the area was a mess of weeds and assorted unsightly growth. I don't want them growing up through my gravel bed in years to come. Can I kill growth in the area, or is it best to line the area with plastic of some other barrier to prevent growth coming through?

Thanks in advance!

bartlguy

Einhard wrote: »

Hey,

I'm just after spending two days battle a phalanx of extremely hostile, horribly thorny, and ridiculously overgrown Pyracanta hedges, a struggle which I just about won, albeit with many scratches and copious blood loss. While the hedges are down, their roots are still in place, and I'm wondering what would be the best way to go about getting rid of them? The hedges were fairly mature and I imagine the root network would be pretty extensive, so I'm not sure if physically uprooting them would be practical. I don't want to destroy my garden in my efforts to improve it! Are there any means to kill the roots whilst leaving them intact?

Also, the hedges stood in front of a boundary wall, and I want to create a gravel border in their place. Apart from the Pyracanta though, the area was a mess of weeds and assorted unsightly growth. I don't want them growing up through my gravel bed in years to come. Can I kill growth in the area, or is it best to line the area with plastic of some other barrier to prevent growth coming through?

Thanks in advance!

There is a product called root out which shud sort out the problem you have with the pyracantha roots. Within one or two application of this, you can then put down a weed membrane-best one is mypex which is more like a poly weave than a plastic and i find it the best to use to prevent weeds growing up through it.

On the other hand if the roots above the soil from the pyracantha are large as in stump form, you can drill a hole in them, pour some round up into the hole or any decent weedkiller and then melt some wax into the hole. This will seal the weedkiller in the stump and kill the plant slower. This is a more focused killing rather than using root out.

paddy147

This WILL get rid of it.Be carefull when using this though and READ the instructions before you do anything.NAD out at Blakes Cross sell this in various size bottles and drums.

This is Mypex Weed Barrier and its the best out there.Its not like the crappy stuff that you get in BnQ or Woodies (avoid that useless crap :rolleyes:).

Cardinal Richelieu

The active ingredient use to be well known as Agent Orange.

slowburner

If you want to go down the toxins route, Simazine is your only man.
'Pathclear' and those sort of brands contain it.
It effectively kills the soil and won't allow plants to germinate for about a year.
You would need to treat the Pyracantha roots separately with one of the dedicated root solutions.

I'm not a great fan of geotextiles as a weed preventative.
They always end up tearing somewhere and bits of the fibres stick up and get ragged, messy, uneven, etc. and you end up needing more gravel because the soil underneath gets compressed.
Geotextile underlays are only a temporary solution/quick fix.
I hear what you are saying about not wanting to tear up the garden but if you want a permanent solution to weeds in a gravel bed - the best way is to excavate the area to a depth of at least 8 inches and back fill it with well compacted 804 hardcore.
Spread your gravel on this and it's job done - long term. No maintenance, no sprays.

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

If you want to go down the toxins route, Simazine is your only man.
'Pathclear' and those sort of brands contain it.
It effectively kills the soil and won't allow plants to germinate for about a year.
You would need to treat the Pyracantha roots separately with one of the dedicated root solutions.

I'm not a great fan of geotextiles as a weed preventative.
They always end up tearing somewhere and bits of the fibres stick up and get ragged, messy, uneven, etc. and you end up needing more gravel because the soil underneath gets compressed.
Geotextile underlays are only a temporary solution/quick fix.
I hear what you are saying about not wanting to tear up the garden but if you want a permanent solution to weeds in a gravel bed - the best way is to excavate the area to a depth of at least 8 inches and back fill it with well compacted 804 hardcore.
Spread your gravel on this and it's job done - long term. No maintenance, no sprays.

So Mypex Weed membrane rips easily then???

I beg to differ.Its very hard to rip/tear it and doesnt break up easily.

Its also down to how the soil/ground below is prepared,de-stoned and leveled and how the Mypex is actually installed.

If its all done half arse,then the end result will also look half arse.:rolleyes:

If its all done correctly,soil and/or ground below leveled correctly and Mypex fited and pegged propperly,then it will all look 1st class and last.

This is 804 hardcore. Allways use a whacker plate on it and level it too,to get a nice level spread and driveway /gravel area.

paddy147

This is a horrible old weedy and overgrown urban back garden that my girlfriend dug up and transformed around 3 years ago.There were large brambles and wild black current bushes grown up at the back of the garden.It was a garden full of unsightly scrub grass and lots of weeds.

Still not a weed in it,3 years on.The garden is absolutely thriving and its now a nice relaxing place to enjoy,sit and relax in.

And it doesnt cost the sun,moon and stars to do.Just a small bit of money,and most importantly a bit of imagination and some elbow grease.A design plan,24 railway sleepers,Couple of tons bags of 804 hardcore,some sand,roll of Mypex.few ton bags or pea gravel,compost and manure,and then the various plants/flowers.And 1 small water feature too.

Oh and a large Kango Concrete Breaker and whacker plate too,which my girlfriend loved using and has no problem using.She would put alot of men to shame,with her attitude of "no talking on and on or messing about,just get stuck in and get the job done".

slowburner

paddy147 wrote: »

So Mypex Weed membrane rips easily then???
I beg to differ.Its very hard to rip/tear it and doesnt break up easily.
Its also down to how the soil/ground below is prepared,de-stoned and leveled and how the Mypex is actually installed.
If its all done half arse,then the end result will also look half arse.:rolleyes:
If its all done correctly,soil and/or ground below leveled correctly and Mypex fited and pegged propperly,then it will all look 1st class and last.
This is 804 hardcore. Allways use a whacker plate on it and level it too,to get a nice level spread and driveway /gravel area.

Quite right Paddy.
It doesn't rip easily and that's where you get the shredded edges which always seem to migrate upwards and wave their straggly ends at you from under the mulch.
You can't cut it so that there are no fibrous ends, if you know what I mean.
It always seems to end up like an old jumper where you get a loose thread, you pull this and it leads to another loose thread and so on.
If I had no alternative but to use a geotextile I would use Terram. It doesn't leave straggly edges and its durability is proven.
Mypex hasn't been around for that long. I don't know how long polypropylene will last - 10 years maybe?
And what do you do when the Mypex has reached the end of its days? Replacing it would be a major pain in the neck.

I built a garden many, many years ago with plants planted in little islands of topsoil excavated into the whacked 804.
It was a dreadful bit of labour but 20 years on, it's still weed free and as close as you will get to 'zero maintenance'.

Mypex is fine in places like raised beds as in your place but the OP's situation sounds much more like the kind which needs compacted 804 and gravel as you used yourself for the walkways in your fine garden.

What the heck was that big concrete yoke?

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

What the heck was that big concrete yoke?

What concrete yoke are you refering to?

Thats the old and narrow path that went down the middle of the back garden.And thats my other half getting stuck into it with the concrete breaker.It was 15 inches thick in places,but no match for her.:D

That particular house was built back inthe 1930s and they used huge lumps of granite in the hardcore base before they did the pathway.

slowburner

In the first picture

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

In the first picture

Thats the old back garden pathway.15 inches thick in places.Big lumps of granite block iunder it in the hardcore base.

slowburner

Some path!
I thought it was an old foundation.

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

Some path!
I thought it was an old foundation.

Tell "her" about it.;)
Shes the professional though,not me.

It was tough going on me aswell,drinking several cups of tea and taking various photos.:D

looksee

That's a lovely transformation, congratulations to her

Einhard

Thanks for all the responses all.

Paddy, any chance your missus could come around to my place and do the work for me? She seems to love hard work & a challenge, and I love drinking tea and taking photographs so it's be win-win! I could even throw in a cup of tea for herself!:D

BTW, what's 804?

slowburner

Does 'she' eat sandwiches?
I can provide them as well as tea.

paddy147

Einhard wrote: »

Thanks for all the responses all.

Paddy, any chance your missus could come around to my place and do the work for me? She seems to love hard work & a challenge, and I love drinking tea and taking photographs so it's be win-win! I could even throw in a cup of tea for herself!:D

BTW, what's 804?

Where do you live,and I,ll send her around so.

Ah she loves what she does and loves a challenge allright (sure she got stuck with me,and thats the mother of all challenges )

In all honesty,she has no fear and loves what she does.That what she has trained and studied very to do as her profession.


We spent the afternoon out in the garden centre in Malahide and bought a load of Giant Allium bulbs (Mars 120cm) for 1 euro each (reduced from 4 euro 70 cents).


Oh and 804 is the specific name/type of hardcore/stone that is used in foundations and for a base for driveways/paths.

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

Does 'she' eat sandwiches?
I can provide them as well as tea.

Ham,cheese,scallion and beatroot.:D

slowburner

slowburner wrote: »

If you want to go down the toxins route, Simazine is your only man.
'Pathclear' and those sort of brands contain it.
It effectively kills the soil and won't allow plants to germinate for about a year.
You would need to treat the Pyracantha roots separately with one of the dedicated root solutions.

I'm not a great fan of geotextiles as a weed preventative.
They always end up tearing somewhere and bits of the fibres stick up and get ragged, messy, uneven, etc. and you end up needing more gravel because the soil underneath gets compressed.
Geotextile underlays are only a temporary solution/quick fix.
I hear what you are saying about not wanting to tear up the garden but if you want a permanent solution to weeds in a gravel bed - the best way is to excavate the area to a depth of at least 8 inches and back fill it with well compacted 804 hardcore.
Spread your gravel on this and it's job done - long term. No maintenance, no sprays.

Yep :pac::pac:

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

Yep :pac::pac:

+1 to that.

Whacker plate all the way.:)

slowburner

Jingle bells, jingle bells, whacker plate all the way, o what fun it is alright to whack that 804 away.
:eek:

Silver-Tiger

Sorry for thread digging.

After having a battle myself with two if these horror plants. I was going to dig up the roots. Upon reading this though. I'm questioning it.

Is it that bad to dig these up? Anyone have any experience doing so?